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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Lauren Theisen

Life Lessons

Seeking Closure At Planet Hollywood, Where My Life Once Exploded

Mason Miller #22 and Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres celebrate a 3-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks

Better Not Guess Wrong Against Mason Miller

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. #12 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates while running the bases after hitting a two run home run

Mason Miller’s Balls Were Fast, But Lourdes Gurriel’s Dong Was Faster

Jhoan Duran #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies enters the game for the ninth inning

What’s The Big Deal About Jhoan Durán’s Entrance?

Birch boletus - edible mushrooms on moss (Leccinum scabrum)

Arts And Culture

My Favorite Part Of ‘Anna Karenina’ Is The Guy Who Can’t Stop Himself From Talking About Mushrooms

Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres makes a jumping catch in the fourth inning of the game against New York Mets

The Robbin’ Padres Took Away A Home Run Before Anyone Knew What Happened

Luis Paez-Pumar

L t r Greg Gates, Melb. Glenn Ford, Willoughby, Syd. and Joe Italiano, of Mitchum Vic, study Copy of Fantastic Four

Defector At The Movies

Four Thoughts About ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers strikes out

The First-Place Dodgers Are In Relative Trouble

General Manager Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild smiles during rounds 2-7 of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at TRIA Rink on July 24, 2021 in St. Paul, Minnesota

Bills Week

The Wild’s Offseason Has Been Pretty Tame

David Roth

Dave McKenna

Singer and pianist Billy Joel rests on an airline flight between Austin and Dallas during a tour promoting his "57th Street" album. | Location: Above Texas, USA.

You Should Never Argue With A Crazy M-M-Music Club

Bill Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers poses for a photo during the 2025 MLB All-Star player photo shoot

How Did Will “Bill” Smith Do At The MLB All-Star Game?

Bill’s Wines & Liquors: The Defector Review

Bill Laimbeer #40 takes the ball during the NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics

Bill Laimbeer Made Me A Youth Basketball Maniac

Zach McKinstry #39 of the Detroit Tigers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run

30-Year-Old Man Hits Athletic Peak

Wilyer Abreu #52 of the Boston Red Sox dives into home on an inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Monday, June 30, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Wilyer Abreu Hit It To The Most Fun Spot In Fenway

US wrestler CM Punk greets the fans before his match against against John Cena for the undisputed WWE Championship during the King of the Ring event at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 28, 2025.

Pro Wrestling

CM Punk Loves Saudi Arabia

Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday

Not Even Dicky Lovelady Could Rescue The Mets

Nobody Knows Who The Oilers Should Start At Goalie In The Most Important Game Of The Season

J.J. Spaun fist pumps after making the winning putt

Golf

J.J. Spaun’s Last Shot Was The Shot Of His Life

Politics

Protests Big

Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers shoots the puck into the net behind goaltender Calvin Pickard #30, Corey Perry #90, and Jake Walman #96 of the Edmonton Oilers

Panther Machine Never Breaks

Brian Wilson, along with the Beach Boys perform at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on January 1, 1987 .

Music

Brian Wilson Was The Sound Of Something Just Out Of Reach

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 09: A plastic rat is seen on the ice after the Florida Panthers 6-1 victory in Game Three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 09, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Brad Marchand Is Still A Royal Pain In The Ass

Tony Shalhoub accepts the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for The Band's Visit onstage during the 72nd Annual Tony Awards

Staff Chat

An Experimental Staff Chat: Let’s Talk Tonys

Edmonton Oilers Goalie Stuart Skinner (74) gets set in the first period of game one of Stanley Cup Final